‘Super Trooper 2’ Raises 4.4 Million Dollars In Fundraising Campaign

The Broken Lizard comedy troupe has waged the second most successful crowdfunding campaign for a movie, taking in $4.4 million in 30 days to raise production funds for “Super Troopers 2.”

The Indiegogo campaign, funded by over 50,000 contributors, ended at midnight Friday with 77% of the $5.7 million record for crowdfunding for a film, set in by the “Veronica Mars” movie on Kickstarter in 2013. It raised 42% more than the $3.1 million for Zach Braff’s “Wish I Was Here,” which had been the second-largest crowdfunding effort until earlier this month when the Alan Tudyk-Nathan Fillion project “Con Man” raised $3.16 million.

The “Super Troopers” met the initial goal of $2 million in 26 hours, assuring that the sequel will go into production this summer, 14 years after the original “Super Troopers” was released. Fox Searchlight had agreed to release the sequel if the $2 million goal was met.

Perks offered as incentives that were sold on the first day included a producer title for $10,000, a speaking actor role for $10,000, a trip to the ballpark with the main actors for $15,000 and the patrol car to be used in the filming for $35,000. The troupe offered three $20,000-level incentives in which they will perform a private standup comedy show.

The troupe also sold “The Best Men” incentive for $20,000: “All five members of Broken Lizard will attend your wedding and act as your groomsmen (or bridesmaids). We’ll even bring you a gift.”

Broken Lizard crafted new stretch goals aimed at attracting additional backers. To push the campaign past $3.5 million, it announced that it would release its first movie — “Tin Foil Monkey Agenda” — online exclusively to contributors.

“Super Troopers 2″ reunites all five Troopers from the original film — Jay Chandrasekhar, Kevin Heffernan, Steve Lemme, Paul Soter and Erik Stolhanske. The quintet play goofy Vermont state troopers with a penchant for pranks and feuding with other local law enforcement officers.

Pre-production on the film will begin in May, with principal photography starting this summer in the Northeast.

“Super Troopers” was made for $1.2 million and acquired by Searchlight at the 2001 Sundance Film Festival. It grossed $23 million worldwide.

Broken Lizard also made 2004’s “Club Dread” and 2006’s “Beerfest,” which grossed $20 million. The troupe performed in “Broken Lizard Stand Up” for Comedy Central in 2010.